Self-propelled cleaner

ABSTRACT

It is an object to provide a self-propelled cleaner which facilitates restricting the raising of the cost of the self-propelled cleaner and can positively clean uncleaned areas. The self-propelled cleaner is constructed in such a manner to calculate the minimum of values (L) obtained by using the following equation (1), from present coordinates (Xc, Yc) of a place where a body has been situated, and coordinates (Xn, Yn) of uncleaned areas stored by a mapping operation, specify an uncleaned area relating to the value (L) that is the minimum, causes the body to be traveled to the uncleaned area, and cleans the uncleaned area. 
 
 L =( Xc−Xn )2+( Yc−Yn )2  Equation (1).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a self-propelled cleaner that comprises a body provided with a cleaner mechanism, and a driving mechanism for realizing steering and driving of the body.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Hitherto, there is known a self-propelled cleaner that comprises a body provided with a cleaner mechanism, and a driving mechanism for realizing steering and driving of the body, and that can clean the interior of a room while self-traveling. The self-propelled cleaner is constructed such that the self-propelled cleaner searches an area of the room interior in which it is not traveled, namely, an uncleaned area of the room interior, causes the body of the self-propelled cleaner to be traveled to the uncleaned area of the room interior, and cleans the uncleaned area (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Sho. 61-245215, 2004-33340, and 2000-39917).

With such a self-propelled cleaner, it is possible to clean the room interior everywhere, without allowing uncleaned areas of the room interior to remain uncleaned.

However, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Sho. 61-245215, 2004-33340 and 2000-39917 do not disclose a concrete method for searching the uncleaned areas. In the event that a plurality of uncleaned areas are to be cleaned, how to cause the body to arrive at the uncleaned areas is an important factor that is required in order that idle traveling of the body can be avoided and consumption of a battery for the self-propelled cleaner can be saved. However, in order to set the order of cleaning of the uncleaned areas and travel routes of the body, it is necessary to design an arithmetic operation circuit, such as a CPU or the like, in such a manner that it has a high-performance, and also provide a RAM that serves as a work area and has a high-performance, thus raising the cost of the self-propelled cleaner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made with a view to overcoming the foregoing problems of the prior art self-propelled cleaners. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a self-propelled cleaner that facilitates restraining of a substantial cost and can positively carry out cleaning of uncleaned areas.

In order to attain the above-mentioned object, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a self-propelled cleaner that comprises a body provided with a cleaner mechanism, a driving mechanism for realizing steering and driving of the body, a mapping means for mapping cleaned areas as cleaning-completed area and mapping areas, not to be cleaned, as uncleaned area, while controlling the cleaner mechanism and the driving mechanism and causing the body to be traveled, the mapping means being designed in such a manner to assume an interior of a room, that is to be cleaned, as a plane-coordinate system of an X-axis and a Y-axis, take areas to be cleaned by the body at the time of stopping of the body, as unit areas, store coordinates of the cleaning-completed areas and coordinates of the uncleaned areas, and an uncleaned area-searching means for calculating the minimum of values (L) obtained by using the following equation (1), from present coordinates (Xc, Yc) of a place where the body has be situated, and coordinates (Xn, Yn) of the uncleaned areas stored by the mapping means, and searching an uncleaned area that is generally close to a present location of the body. L=(Xc−Xn)2+(Yc−Yn)2  Equation (1).

In the self-propelled cleaner of the present invention that is constructed as described above, the drive mechanism realizes the steering and driving of the body when the cleaner mechanism provided at the body is to carry out cleaning. Moreover, the self-propelled cleaner is provided with the mapping means that maps areas having been cleaned, as cleaning-completed areas and maps areas having not been cleaned, as uncleaned areas, while controlling the cleaner mechanism and the driving mechanism, and causing the body to be traveled while cleaning. That is, a route in which the body of the self-propelled cleaner has been traveled is mapped as a cleaning-completed area, and a route in which the body is not yet traveled is mapped as an uncleaned area.

The mapping means is designed in such a manner to assume an interior of a room, that is to be cleaned, as a plane-coordinate system of an X-axis and a Y-axis, take ranges to be cleaned by the body at the time of stopping of the body, as unit areas, and store coordinates of the cleaning-completed areas and coordinates of the uncleaned areas. That is, the cleaning-completed areas and the uncleaned areas are stored as, for example, coordinates such as (1, 1) and (2, 4), whereby they are mapped.

Moreover, the self-propelled cleaner is provided with the uncleaned area-searching means for calculating the minimum of values (L) obtained by using the above-described equation (1), from present coordinates (Xc, Yc) of a place where the body has been present, and coordinates (Xn, Yn) of the uncleaned areas stored by the mapping means, and searching an uncleaned area that is generally close to a present location of the body. By such a construction, it is possible to minimize a travel distance of the body from the present location of the body to the uncleaned area by searching the unleaned area generally close to the present location of the body and cleaning the uncleaned area and thereafter searching an uncleaned area generally close the body. Therefore, it is possible to prevent idle traveling of the body and restrict the consumption of the battery. Moreover, it is possible to search the uncleaned area that is generally close to the body, by carrying out relatively simple arithmetic operation in which the values (L) are calculated by the above-mentioned equation (1) from the coordinates of the present location of the body and the coordinates of the uncleaned areas, and the minimum of the values (L) is calculated. Therefore, a high-performance CPU, a high-performance memory and the like are not required and it is possible to restrain the raising of the cost of the self-propelled cleaner.

According to the present invention described above, it is possible to positively carry out cleaning of uncleaned areas while prevent idle traveling of the body and restraining the consumption of the battery, and restrain the raising of the cost of the self-propelled cleaner.

A self-propelled cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided with an uncleaned area-cleaning means that causes the body to be traveled to the uncleaned area that is generally close to the present location of the body and has been searched by the uncleaned area-searching means, and causes the cleaner mechanism to clean the uncleaned area.

The self-propelled cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention that is constructed as described above can positively carry out cleaning of the uncleaned area after the body arrives at the uncleaned area.

A self-propelled cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided with a deleting means for deleting from the mapping means data on the uncleaned area that has been cleaned by the uncleaned area-cleaning means.

In the self-propelled cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention, data on the uncleaned areas having been cleaned once are deleted, so that it is possible to prevent repeated cleaning of the uncleaned areas having been once cleaned and efficiently carry out cleaning of the room interior.

A self-propelled cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided with an obstacle sensing means for sensing obstacles in front of the body and on right and left sides of the body; wherein the mapping means is designed in such a manner to store coordinates of places where the obstacles are present when the obstacles are present in front of the body and on the right and left sides of the body, to thereby map the places as obstacle areas.

In the self-propelled cleaner constructed as described above, it is possible set a route of the body to the uncleaned area, on the basis of the coordinates of the obstacles that have been stored.

In the self-propelled cleaner, the obstacle sensing means includes an ultrasonic sensor for sensing the obstacles in front of the body.

In this self-propelled cleaner, it is possible to sense the obstacles in front of the body by receiving ultrasonic waves reflected by the obstacles in front of the body.

In the self-propelled cleaner, the obstacle sensing means includes sidewall sensors for sensing the obstacles on the right and left sides of the body, the sidewall sensors having infrared ray-emitting sections and infrared ray-receiving sections.

In this self-propelled cleaner, it is possible to sense the obstacles on the left and right sides of the body by detecting infrared rays reflected by the obstacles on the left and right sides of the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned object, other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference designators denote like or corresponding parts throughout, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an appearance of a self-propelled cleaner according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic bottom view of the self-propelled cleaner shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a construction of the self-propelled cleaner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart exhibiting a mapping operation;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the condition of the interior of a room and a travel route of a body;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating one example of mapping data stored in a RAM when the mapping operation is carried out;

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart exhibiting a cleaning operation for cleaning uncleaned areas;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating another example of the mapping date; and

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating still another example of the mapping data.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now, embodiments according to the present invention will be discussed hereinafter in the following order:

(1) an appearance of a self-propelled cleaner;

(2) an internal construction of the self-propelled cleaner;

(3) an operation of the self-propelled cleaner; and

(4) various variants.

(1) The Appearance of the Self-Propelled Cleaner:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the self-propelled cleaner according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the self-propelled cleaner shown in FIG. 1. Incidentally, a direction indicated in FIG. 1 by an arrow is an advance direction of the self-propelled cleaner. As shown in FIG. 1, the self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present invention includes a body BD of a substantially cylindrical shape and two drive wheels 12R, 12L (see FIG. 2) provided at a bottom side of the self-propelled cleaner. By driving of the drive wheels 12R, 12L separately, the self-propelled cleaner 10 can be advanced, retreated and turned. Furthermore, at a center portion of the front side of the body BD, an infrared CCD sensor 73 serving as an image picking-up sensor is provided.

Moreover, seven ultrasonic sensors 31 (31 a-31 g) that act as an obstacle detecting means for sensing an obstacle ahead of the body BD are provided at a portion of the body BD which is below the infrared CCD sensor 73. The ultrasonic sensors 31 comprise dispatching sections for sending supersonic waves and receiver sections for receiving the supersonic waves that are provided by the ultrasonic sensors 31, reflected by a forward wall and then returned. The ultrasonic sensors 31 can calculate a distance of the body BD to the wall from a time that is required from the providing of the supersonic waves by the dispatching sections to the receiving of the supersonic waves by the receiver sections. Of the seven ultrasonic sensors 31, the ultrasonic sensor 31 d is provided at the center portion of the front side of the body BD, the ultrasonic sensors 31 a, 31 g are symmetrically arranged at a left side and a right side, respectively, the ultrasonic sensors 31 b, 31 f are symmetrically arranged at the left side and the right side, respectively, and the ultrasonic sensors 31 c, 31 e are symmetrically arranged at the left side and right side, respectively.

Moreover, pyroelectric sensors 35 (35 a, 35 b) are provided at the left side and right side of the front side of the body BD. The pyroelectric sensors 35 a, 35 b sense infrared rays generated from the human body and can detect the human who is present in the vicinity of the body BD. Incidentally, though pyroelectric sensors 35 (35 c, 35 d) (see FIG. 3) are not shown in FIG. 1, they are provided at left and right sides of a rear side of the body BD. Thus, the pyroelectric sensors 35 are constructed so as to have a sensing range of 360 degrees around the body BD.

As shown in FIG. 2, the two drive wheels 12R, 12L are provided at the left and right sides of the bottom of the body BD. Moreover, three supplementary wheels 13 are provided at a forward side of the bottom of the body BD (on the side of the advance direction). Furthermore, step sensors 14 for detecting unevenness of a room floor surface and steps of the room floor surface are provided at the upper right-hand region, the lower right-hand region, the upper left-hand region and the lower left-hand region of the bottom of the body BD. A main brush 15 is provided at a region of the bottom of the body BD that is lower than the center portion of the bottom of the body BD. The main brush 15 is driven by a main brush motor 52 (not shown in FIG. 2 but shown in FIG. 3) and can sweep dirt and/or dust on the room floor surface. Moreover, an opening of a portion of the body BD to which the main brush 15 is attached is a suction inlet. The dirt and/or dust is adapted to be sucked into the suction inlet while being swept by the main brush 15. Furthermore, side brushes 16 are provided at the upper right-hand region and the upper left-hand region of the bottom of the body BD, respectively.

Incidentally, though the self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present invention is provided with various sensors in addition to the ultrasonic sensors 31, the pyroelectric sensors 35 and the step sensors 14 that are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the various sensors other than the sensors 31, 35, 14 will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter with reference to FIG. 3.

(2) The Internal Construction of the Self-Propelled Cleaner:

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the construction of the self-propelled cleaner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 3, a CPU 21 serving as a control section, a ROM 23, and a RAM (storage region) 22 are coupled to the body BD through a bus 24. The CPU 21 uses the RAM 22 as a work area and carries out various controls according to a control program and various parameter tables which are stored in the ROM 23.

The body BD is provided with a battery 27. The CPU 21 is adapted to be able to monitor a residual quantity of the battery 27 through a battery monitoring circuit 26. Moreover, the battery 27 is provided with a charging terminal 27 a that is to be used for charging of the battery 27 by a charger device 100 which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. An electrical supply terminal 101 of the charger device 100 is operatively coupled to the charging terminal 27 a, whereby the charging is carried out. The battery monitoring circuit 26 mainly monitors a voltage of the battery 27 and then detects the residual quantity of the battery 27. Furthermore, the body BD has a speech circuit 29 a that is coupled to the bus 24. A speaker 29 b generates voice according to speech signals that are produced in the speech circuit 29 a.

As discussed above, the body BD is provided with the ultrasonic sensors 31 (31 a-31 g) serving as distance measuring devices, the pyroelectric sensors 35 (35 a-35 d) acting as human body sensors, and the step sensor 14 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Moreover, the body BD is provided with sidewall sensors 36R, 36L for detecting sidewalls of the room, as some of the other sensors that are not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the illustrated example, the sidewall sensors 36R, 36L are infrared sensors that comprise light emitting sections for emitting infrared rays and receiver sections for receiving the infrared rays. However, as the sidewall sensors, there may be employed, for example, passive sensors, ultrasonic sensors or the like. Furthermore, the body BD is provided with a gyro sensor 37 as one of the above-mentioned other sensors. The gyro sensor 37 comprises an angular velocity sensor 37 a for detecting a change in an angular velocity due to change in the advance direction of the body BD, and can detect an angle of a direction to which the body BD is directed, by carrying out multiplying of a sensor output value detected by the angular velocity sensor 37 a.

The self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present invention is provided with motor drivers 41R, 41L, drive wheel motors 42R, 42L, and an unshown gear unit arranged between the drive wheel motors 42R, 42L and the above-mentioned drive wheels 12R, 12L, as a driving mechanism. When the body BD is to be turn-traveled, the rotational direction and rotation angle of the drive wheel motors 42R, 42L are particularly controlled by the motor drivers 41R, 41L. The respective motor drivers 41R, 41L output driving signals corresponding to control signals from the CPU 21. Incidentally, as the gear unit and the drive wheels 12R, 12L, there may be employed various gear units and drive wheels. The driving may be carried out by causing round-shaped rubber tires to be driven or causing an endless belt to be driven.

Moreover, rotary encoders (not shown) are integrally attached to the drive wheel motors 42R, 42L. It is possible to precisely detect actual rotational direction and rotation angle of the drive wheels from outputs of the rotary encoders. Incidentally, the rotary encoders may not be attached directly to the drive wheel motors 42R, 42L and a freely rotatable driven wheel may be provided in the vicinity of the drive wheels. In this case, a rotating amount of the driven wheel is fed back, whereby actual rotating amounts of the drive wheels can be detected even if slipping of the drive wheels occurs. Furthermore, an acceleration sensor 44 detects accelerations in three XYZ-axial directions, and then outputs the detection results.

A cleaner mechanism of the self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present invention comprises the two side brushes 16 provided at the bottom of the body BD (see FIG. 2), the main brush 15 provided at the central portion of the bottom of the body BD (see FIG. 2), and a suction fan (not shown) for sucking dirt and/or dust swept by the main brush 15 and facilitating storing of the dirt and/or dust in a dust box. The main brush 15 is adapted to be driven by the main brush motor 52. Also, the suction fan is adapted to be driven by a suction motor 55. Motor drivers 54, 56 are adapted to supply driving power to the main brush motor 52 and the suction motor 55, respectively. The cleaning performed by the main brush 15 is suitably judged and controlled by the CPU 21, according to a condition of the floor surface, a condition of the battery and instructions from the user.

Moreover, the body BD has a wireless LAN module 61. The CPU 21 is adapted to be able to communicate with an external LAN by radio according to a predetermined protocol. On the condition that there are unshown access points, the wireless LAN module 61 shall be governed by an environment in which the access points can be connected to an external wideband net work (for example, an internet) through routers or the like. Therefore, it is possible to carry out transmit-receive of usual mail through the internet and reading of web site. Incidentally, the wireless LAN module 61 is comprised of a standardized card slot, a standardized wireless-LAN card, which is connected to the slot, and the like. Of course, a different standardized card can be connected to the card slot.

Moreover, the body BD is provided with an infrared CCD sensor 73, and an infrared ray source 72. An image picking-up signal that is generated in the infrared CCD sensor 73 is transmitted through the bus 24 to the CPU 21 which carries out various processes with respect to the image picking-up signal. The infrared CCD sensor 73 has an optical system that can pick up an image of an area in front of the body BD, and produces an electric signal according to infrared rays that are incident on a field of view that is realized by the optical system. Concretely, there are provided a plurality of photodiodes that are arranged correspondingly to respective picture elements at an image formation location that is determined by the above-mentioned optical system. The respective photodiodes produce electric signals that correspond to electrical energies of the incident infrared rays. A CCD element temporarily memorizes the electric signals that are produced for every picture elements, and produces image picking-up signals in which electric signals are continued for the respective picture elements. Then, the produced image picking-up signals are suitably outputted to the CPU 21.

(3) The Operation of the Self-Propelled Cleaner:

Now, the operation of the self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present invention will be discussed hereinafter.

The self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present invention carries out cleaning while causing the body BD to be traveled and carries out a mapping operation in which cleaned areas are mapped as cleaning-completed areas, areas that are not cleaned are mapped as uncleaned areas, and areas in which obstacles are present are mapped as obstacle areas. At this time, the body BD is traveled in such a zigzag manner that when the body BD arrives at a location that is short of a forward obstacle, while being straightly advanced, the body BD is turned through 90 degrees, traveled by a predetermined distance, thereafter turned again in the same direction through 90 degrees, and straightly advanced again until the body BD arrives at the location that is short of the forward obstacle.

Moreover, when the above-mentioned mapping operation is carried out and the body BD is traveled to a terminal point, the body BD is moved to one of several uncleaned areas subjected to the mapping operation, that is an uncleaned area generally close to a present location of the body BD, and cleaning of the uncleaned area is then carried out. Such an uncleaned area-cleaning operation is continued until cleaning of all of uncleaned areas in the room interior is completed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart exhibiting a procedure for the mapping operation performed in the self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present invention. Incidentally, the procedure for the mapping operation that is exhibited in FIG. 4 will be discussed in conjunction with a cleaning operation for cleaning the interior of a room that is shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 shows one example of mapping data memorized in the RAM 22 when the mapping operation is carried out. A cleaning range at the time when the body BD is stopped is approximately equal to a dimension of the body BD (30 cm×30 cm). In the mapping operation, this range is set as a unit area, a vertical direction in the room interior (a vertical direction in FIG. 5) is denoted as an X-axis, and a lateral direction is denoted as a Y-axis. Coordinates of respective unit areas are in turn written into the RAM 22 or the like as the cleaning-completed areas, uncleaned areas and obstacle areas. For example, coordinates for the body BD shown in FIG. 5 are (1, 1), coordinates for a left-hand wall W are (0, m), and coordinates for a lower wall W are (n, 0).

The mapping operation is initially carried out with respect to a cleaning-completed area at a step S100. In this process, coordinates of a unit area for a place at which the body BD has been present are written in as a cleaning-completed area. For example, the coordinates for the body BD shown in FIG. 5 are (1, 1) and written in as the cleaning-completed area. In FIG. 6, the coordinates (1, 1) are written in as the cleaning-completed area (shown with a mark “circle”).

At a step S110, whether or not any obstacle has been present on the left side of the body BD is judged. In this process, whether or not the left sidewall-sensor 36L senses the obstacle on the left side of the body BD is judged. In a case where it is judged that the obstacle has been present on the left side of the body BD, a mapping process for mapping the left side of the body BD as an obstacle area is carried out at a step S120. That is, next coordinates on the left side of coordinates of the place at which the body BD has been present are written in as an obstacle area. In FIG. 6, the next coordinates (0, 1) on the left side of the coordinates (1, 1) are written in as the obstacle area (shown with a mark “x”).

On the other hand, when it is judged at the step S110 that any obstacle has been not present on the left side of the body BD, a mapping process for mapping the left side of the body BD as an uncleaned area is carried out at a step S130. That is, next coordinates on the left side of the coordinates of the place at which the body BD has been present are written in as an uncleaned area. In FIG. 6, this uncleaned area is not indicated by any designator (remains blank). Incidentally, even if the coordinates are written in as the uncleaned area at the step S130, when the body BD travels and cleans the same area, the area is overwritten as a cleaning-completed area.

When the processing of the step S120 or S130 is carried out, whether or not any obstacle has been present on the right side of the body BD is judged at a step S140. In this process, whether or not the right sidewall-sensor 36R has detected an obstacle that has been present on the right side of the body BD is judged. When it is judged that the obstacle has been present on the right side of the body BD, a mapping process for mapping an area on the right side of the body BD as an obstacle area is carried out at a step S150. That is, next coordinates on the right side of the coordinates of the place at which the body BD has been present are written in as an obstacle area.

On the other hand, it is judged at the step S140 that any obstacle has not been present on the right side of the body BD, a mapping process for mapping an area on the right side of the body BD as an uncleaned area is carried out at a step S160. That is, next coordinates on the right side of the coordinates of the place at which the body BD has been are written as an uncleaned area.

When the process of the step S150 or S160 is carried out, whether or not any obstacle has been present in front of the body BD is judged at a step S170. That is, whether or not the ultrasonic sensors 31 have sensed any obstacle in front of the body BD is judged. Incidentally, this processing is to judge whether or not any obstacle has been present at a next unit area on the forward side of the present coordinates of the body BD. This judgment is carried out by measuring a distance to the forward obstacle from the body BD by the ultrasonic sensors. For example, when the body BD has been situated at coordinates (1, 8) indicated in FIG. 6, whether or not any obstacle has been present at a next unit area (1, 9) on the forward side is judged.

When it is judged at the step S170 that the forward obstacle has been sensed, a mapping process for mapping an area in front of the body BD as an obstacle area is carried out at a step S180. That is, next coordinates on the forward side of the unit area at which the body BD has been present are written in as an obstacle area. For example, the next coordinates (1, 9) on the forward side of the coordinates (1, 8) of the body BD in FIG. 6 are written in as an obstacle area (shown with a mark “x”).

When the processing of the step S180 is carried out, a processing for causing the body BD to be turned through 90 degrees is carried out. When this processing is completed, the body BD is then moved in parallel to the obstacle.

The direction to which the body BD is turned through 90 degrees at this time is a direction in which no obstacle is present and which an uncleaned area is present.

When a processing of a step S190 is carried out or it is judged at the step S170 that no obstacle has been present in front of the body BD, a processing for causing the body BD to be advanced is carried out at a step S200. In this processing, controlling of the drive motors 42R, 42L is carried out and the body BD is straightly-advanced by a unit area. For example, where the body BD has been present at the coordinates (1, 1), the body BD is traveled to coordinates (1, 2). Furthermore, for example, where the body BD has been situated at the coordinates (1, 8) and the 90 degrees turn of the body BD has been carried out at the sep S190, the body BD is moved to coordinates (2, 9).

When the process of the step S200 is carried out, whether or not the 90 degrees turn of the body BD was previously carried out is judged. In this processing, whether or not the 90 degrees turn of the body BD was carried out by the processing of the step S190 prior to performing of the processing for causing the body BD to be straightly-advanced at the step S200, is judged. When it is judged at a step S210 that the 90 degrees turn of the body BD was previously carried out, a 90 degrees turn of the body BD is again carried out at a step S220.

On the other hand, when it is judged at the step S210 that the 90 degrees turn of the body BD was not previously carried out, whether or not the body BD has arrived at a terminal is judged at a step S230. In the mapping operation, where any obstacles on the forward, left and right sides of the body have been sensed and where the body BD has arrived at a unit area in which the body was already traveled, it is judged that the body BD has arrived at the terminal. When it is judged at the step S230 that the body BD does not yet arrive at the terminal, a processing is returned to the step S100. On the other hand, when it is judged at the step S230 that the body BD has arrived at the terminal, the mapping operation is terminated.

The mapping processes shown in FIG. 4 are carried out, whereby the body BD follows a route indicated in FIG. 5 by an arrow of a chain double-dashed line, this processing is terminated at a point E (coordinates (10, 9)) in FIG. 5 and the body BD is stopped. Such mapping data as shown in FIG. 6 is then prepared. Incidentally, blank portions shown in FIG. 6 represent uncleaned areas as described above. These uncleaned areas include areas where the body BD can be actually traveled, and areas where the body can not be traveled and any obstacles have been present.

Now, a cleaning operation for cleaning uncleaned areas that is carried out after the mapping processes of FIG. 4 were carried out will be discussed hereinafter. Incidentally, a case where the point E (coordinates (10, 9)) that is the terminal of the route shown in FIG. 5 is taken as a start point and an uncleaned area generally close to the point E is searched will be discussed in the following. FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart exhibiting a cleaning operation for cleaning uncleaned areas that is carried out after the mapping processes of FIG. 4 were performed.

When the cleaning process for cleaning uncleaned areas is initiated, first of all, a calculating process for calculating numeral values (L) from coordinates for respective uncleaned areas and coordinates of the present location of the body BD is carried out at a step S300. In this processing, for the respective coordinates (Xn, Yn) of the uncleaned areas that have been written in the mapping date shown in FIG. 6, calculating of the values (L) is carried out from the coordinates (Xn, Yn) and the coordinates (Xc, Yc) of the place where the body BD has been present, by using the following equation (1): L=(Xc−Xn)2+(Yc−Yn)2.

When the processing of the step S300 is carried out, a process for calculating the minimum of the values (L) is carried out at a step S310. That is, a process for calculating the minimum of the values (L) for the respective uncleaned areas which were calculated at the step S300 is carried out.

When the process of the step S310 is carried out, a process for specifying an uncleaned area generally close to the body BD is carried out at a step S320. In this processing, an uncleaned area relating to a value (L) that was calculated as the minimum value at the step S310 is specified as the uncleaned area generally close to the body BD.

When the process of the step S320 is carried out, a process for causing the body BD to be traveled to the uncleaned area generally close to the body BD, while carrying out mapping of obstacle areas is carried out at a step S330. In this processing, the process for causing the body to be traveled to the uncleaned area that was specified in the step S320 as the uncleaned area generally close to the body BD, is carried out, and sensing of any obstacles is carried out by the sidewall sensors 36R, 36L and the ultrasonic sensors 31 during the traveling of the body BD. When any obstacles have been sensed, unit areas in front of the body BD and on the right and left sides of the body BD are mapped as obstacle areas. In this way, when any obstacles are present at the unit areas that were mapped as the obstacle areas prior to the initiating of the uncleaned area cleaning process, the unit areas are overwritten as the obstacle areas, whereby it is possible to correct the mapping data.

When the process of the step S330 is carried out, a cleaning process is carried out at a step S340. In this processing, the uncleaned area which is generally close to the body BD and at which the body BD has arrived as a result of the processing of the step S330 is cleaned. That is, the processing of the step S340 is carried out, whereby the cleaning of the uncleaned area is completed.

When the processing of the step S340 is carried out, a process for deleting the data on the uncleaned area is carried out at a step S350. That is, the data on the unleaned areas that were cleaned at the step S330 are deleted. In this way, it is possible to prevent repeated cleaning of the uncleaned areas having been once cleaned.

When the processing of the step S350 is carried out, a process for mapping cleaning-completed areas is carried out at a step S360. In this processing, coordinates of the uncleaned areas having been deleted at the step S340 are written in as cleaning-completed areas.

When the processing of the step S360 is carried out, whether or not all the uncleaned areas have been cleaned is judged at a step S370. In the event that it is judged that the uncleaned areas all have not been cleaned, a process is returned to the step S300. On the other hand, where it is judged that all the uncleaned areas have been cleaned, the uncleaned area cleaning process is terminated.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, embodiments for performing the uncleaned area cleaning process shown in FIG. 7 will be discussed hereinafter. First of all, the terminal (coordinates (10, 9)) of the travel route of the body BD that is shown in FIG. 5 is taken as the start point and, regarding the several uncleaned areas that have been written in the mapping data, calculating of the values (L) is carried out using the above-mentioned equation (1) (at the step S300). The minimum of the values (L) having been calculated regarding the respective uncleaned areas is calculated (at the step S310), and the uncleaned area generally close to the place at which the body BD has been present is specified (at the step S320). Incidentally, in FIG. 8, an uncleaned area in which the value (L) from the start point becomes the minimum is the coordinates (11, 10) and the coordinates (11, 8). However, the body BD can not be traveled to a unit area relating to the coordinates, so that the uncleaned area is excluded. Coordinates (10, 9) indicated in FIG. 8 by a number 1 are specified as an uncleaned area generally close to the body BD.

Thereafter, a process for causing the body BD to be traveled to the uncleaned area specified as the uncleaned area generally close to the body BD is carried out while carrying out a process for mapping obstacle areas. In FIG. 8, the travel route of the body BD is indicated by an arrow of a chain double-dashed line. When the body BD has arrived at the coordinates (10, 9) indicated by the number 1, obstacles that are present at unit areas of coordinates (11, 10) and coordinates (10, 6) are sensed and mapped as obstacle areas. Thereafter, the uncleaned area which is generally close to the place at which the body BD has arrived is cleaned (at the step S340), the data on the uncleaned area are deleted (at the step S350), and the area is mapped as a cleaning-completed area (at the step S360).

When the above-mentioned process for carrying out the cleaning of the uncleaned area generally close to the body BD is carried out, a point (coordinates (10, 7)) which is indicated in FIG. 9 by a number 1 and has been subjected to the uncleaned area cleaning process is taken as a present location, and searching and cleaning of uncleaned areas are again carried out. In this case, the body BD is traveled along a route indicated in FIG. 9 by an arrow of a chain double-dashed line and arrives at a point (coordinates (10, 5)) indicated in FIG. 9 by a number 2, and cleaning of the uncleaned area is carried out.

(4) Various Variants

While the case where the infrared CCD sensor is employed as the image picking-up sensor is described in the foregoing, the image picking-up sensor that is employed in the self-propelled cleaner according to the present invention is not limited to the infrared CCD sensor. For example, any camera which is photosensitive to light of predetermined color (for example, blue light) may be employed as the image picking-up sensor. In this case, a means for emitting light of the predetermined color (for example, a blue light emitting diode (LED) lamp) is employed as a light emitting device.

Moreover, while the case where the mapping of the uncleaned areas is carried out each time the body BD arrives at the next unit areas is described in the foregoing, the embodiments of the present invention may be constructed such that only the obstacle areas and cleaning-completed areas are mapped during the traveling of the body BD and unit areas that have not been subjected to the mapping process at the time when the body BD arrives at the terminal are collectively mapped as uncleaned areas.

(5) Summary:

As described above, the self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present invention is constructed such that it carries out the calculating of the minimum of the values (L) from the coordinates (Xc, Yc) of the place at which the body BD has been present, and the coordinates (Xn, Yn) that are stored by carrying out the mapping process, by using the following equation (1), specifies the uncleaned area relating to the value (L) that is taken as the minimum, causes the body BD to be traveled to the uncleaned area, and carries out the cleaning of the uncleaned area. Therefore, it is possible to minimize a travel distance of the body BD from the present location of the body BD to the uncleaned area and possible to restrict the consumption of the battery. Moreover, it is possible to search the uncleaned area, that is generally close to the body BD, by carrying out simple arithmetic operation, so that a high-performance CPU, a high-performance memory and the like are not required and it is possible to restrain the raising of the cost of the self-propelled cleaner. L=(Xc−Xn)2+(Yc−Yn)2  equation (1).

It should be noted that the terms and expressions having been employed herein are used as terms of description, not of limitation. In the use of such terms and expressions, there is no intention of excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated and described or portions thereof. However, it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. 

1. A self-propelled cleaner comprising: a body provided with a cleaner mechanism; a driving mechanism for realizing steering and driving of said body; a mapping means for mapping cleaned areas as cleaning-completed area and mapping areas, not to be cleaned, as uncleaned area, while controlling said cleaner mechanism and said driving mechanism and causing said body to be traveled; an ultrasonic sensor for sensing an obstacle in front of said body; sidewall sensors for sensing obstacles on right and left sides of said body; said mapping means being designed in such a manner to assume an interior of a room, that is to be cleaned, as a plane-coordinate system of an X-axis and a Y-axis, take areas to be cleaned by said body at the time of stopping of said body, as unit areas, store coordinates of said cleaning-completed areas and coordinates of said uncleaned areas, and store coordinates of places where said obstacles are present when said obstacles are present in front of said body and on the right and left sides of said body; an uncleaned area-searching means for calculating the minimum of values (L) obtained by using the following equation (1), from present coordinates (Xc, Yc) of a place where said body is located, and coordinates (Xn, Yn) of said uncleaned areas stored by said mapping means, and searching an uncleaned area that is generally close to a present location of said body; an uncleaned area-cleaning means for causing said body to be traveled to said uncleaned area that is generally close to the present location of said body and has been searched by said uncleaned area-searching means, and causing said cleaner mechanism to clean said uncleaned area; and a deleting means for deleting from said mapping means data on said uncleaned area that has been cleaned by said uncleaned area-cleaning means. L=(Xc−Xn)2+(Yc−Yn)2  Equation (1).
 2. A self-propelled cleaner comprising: a body provided with a cleaner mechanism; a driving mechanism for realizing steering and driving of said body; a mapping means for mapping cleaned areas as cleaning-completed area and mapping areas, not to be cleaned, as uncleaned area, while controlling said cleaner mechanism and said driving mechanism and causing said body to be traveled; said mapping means being designed in such a manner to assume an interior of a room as a plane-coordinate system of an X-axis and a Y-axis, take ranges to be cleaned by said body at the time of stopping of said body, as unit areas, and store coordinates of said cleaning-completed areas and coordinates of said uncleaned areas; and an uncleaned area-searching means for calculating the minimum of values (L) obtained by using the following equation (1), from present coordinates (Xc, Yc) of a place where said body is located, and coordinates (Xn, Yn) of said uncleaned areas stored by said mapping means, and searching an uncleaned area that is generally close to a present location of said body. L=(Xc−Xn)2+(Yc−Yn)2  Equation (1).
 3. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, further including an uncleaned area-cleaning means for causing said body to be traveled to said uncleaned area that is generally close to the present location of said body and has been searched by said uncleaned area-searching means, and causing said cleaner mechanism to clean said uncleaned area.
 4. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 3, further including a deleting means for deleting from said mapping means data on said uncleaned area that has been cleaned by said uncleaned area-cleaning means.
 5. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said self-propelled cleaner further includes an obstacle sensing means for sensing obstacles in front of said body and on right and left sides of said body; and wherein said mapping means is designed in such a manner to store coordinates of places where said obstacles are present when said obstacles are present in front of said body and on the right and left sides of said body, to thereby map said places as obstacle areas.
 6. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 5, wherein said obstacle sensing means includes an ultrasonic sensor for sensing said obstacles in front of said body.
 7. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 5, wherein said obstacle sensing means includes sidewall sensors for sensing said obstacles on the right and left sides of said body, said sidewall sensors having infrared ray-emitting sections and infrared ray-receiving sections.
 8. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said driving mechanism includes left and right drive wheel motors, a gear unit, drive wheels adapted to be driven through said gear unit by said drive wheel motors, and rotary encoders mounted integrally with said drive wheel motors for sensing actual rotational-directions of said drive wheels and actual rotation angles of said drive wheels.
 9. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said cleaner mechanism comprises side brushes mounted on a bottom of said body, a main brush mounted at a central portion of the bottom of said body, a dust box, and a suction fan for sucking up dirt and/or dust swept by said main brush and facilitating storing of the dirt and/or dust in said dust box.
 10. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said body is adapted to be traveled in a zigzag manner in which when said body arrives at a location short of said obstacle in front of said body while being straightly advanced, said body is turned through 90 degrees and traveled by a predetermined distance, and thereafter turned in the same direction through 90 degrees, and straightly advanced until said body arrives at the location short of said obstacle in front of said body.
 11. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said self-propelled cleaner is designed such that when said body is traveled to a terminal point by carrying out said mapping process, said body is moved to one of several mapped uncleaned-areas that is generally close to a present place of said body, said cleaner mechanism carries out a cleaning process for cleaning said uncleaned area and repeating cleaning until the uncleaned areas of the room interior are all cleaned.
 12. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein each of said ranges to be cleaned by said body at the time of stopping of said body is substantially equal to a size of said body BD and taken as a unit area, a vertical direction in the room interior is taken as an X-axis, a lateral direction in the room interior is taken as a Y-axis, coordinates for respective unit areas are in turned written into a memorizing zone as cleaning-completed areas, uncleaned areas and obstacle areas.
 13. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said mapping means is designed in such a manner (a) to carry out a mapping process for mapping said cleaning-completed areas at a step S100, said mapping process including writing of coordinates of a place at which said body has been present, as a cleaning-completed area, (b) to judge at a step S110 whether or not any obstacle has been present on the left side of said body, (c) to map an area on the left side of said body as an obstacle area at a step S120 when it is judged at the step S110 that the obstacle has been present on the left side of said body, (d) to map the area on the left side of said body as an uncleaned area at a step S130 when it is judged at the step S110 that no obstacle has been present on the left side of said body, (e) to judge at a step S140 whether or not any obstacle has been present on the right side of said body, (f) to map an area on the right side of said body as an obstacle area at a step S150 when it is judged at the step S140 that the obstacle has been present on the right side of said body, (g) to map the area on the right side of said body as an uncleaned area at a step S160 when it is judged at the step S140 that no obstacle has been present on the right side of said body, (h) to judge at a step S170 whether or not any obstacle has been present in front of said body, (i) to map an area in front of said body as an obstacle area at a step S180 when it is judged at the step S170 that the obstacle in front of said body has been sensed, (j) at a step S190, to cause said body to be turned through 90 degrees in a direction in which no obstacles have been present and uncleaned areas have been present, (k) to cause said body to be advanced by a unit area at a step S200 when it is judged at the step 170 that no obstacle has been present in front of said body, (1) to judge at a step S210 whether or not said body was previously turned through 90 degrees, (m) to cause said body to be again turned through 90 degrees at a step S220 when it is judged at the step S210 that said body was previously turned through 90 degrees, (n) to judge at a step S230 whether or not said body has arrived at a terminal when it is judged at the step 210 that said body was not previously turned through 90 degrees, and (o) to terminate said mapping processes when it is judged at the step S230 that said body has arrived at the terminal.
 14. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 13, wherein said mapping operation includes judging that said body has arrived at the terminal when any obstacles have been sensed in front of said body and on the left and right sides of said body, and when said body has arrived at unit areas in which said body was already traveled.
 15. A self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said self-propelled cleaner is designed so as to carry out an unleaned area-cleaning operation comprising of: (a) at a step S300, calculating the values (L) for respective coordinates (Xn, Yn) of said uncleaned areas from the coordinates (Xn, Yn) and present coordinates (Xc, Yc) of a place where said body has been situated, by using the following equation (1): L=(Xc−Xn)2+(Yc−Yn)2 . . . Equation (1), (b) calculating the minimum of the values (L) at a step S310, (c) at a step S320, specifying an uncleaned area relating to a value (L) calculated as the minimum, as an uncleaned area generally close to said body, (d) at a step S330, causing said body to be traveled to said uncleaned area generally close to said body, while mapping obstacle areas, (e) cleaning said uncleaned area at a step S340, (f) deleting data on said uncleaned area at a step S350, (g) at a step S360, writing coordinates of said uncleaned area having been deleted, as a cleaning-completed area, and mapping said cleaning-completed area, (h) judging at a step S370 whether or not uncleaned areas were all cleaned, (i) causing a process to be returned to the step S300 when it is judged at the step S370 that the uncleaned areas were not all cleaned, and (j) causing the uncleaned area-cleaning process to be terminated when it is judged at the step S370 that the uncleaned areas were all cleaned. 